Week 1:
Person A- Christina
Person B- Megan
Person C- Ryan and Jenna
Person D- Rachel
Quotes-B: Megan
" You are a clumsy little harami. This is my reward for everything I've endured. An heirloom- breaking, clumsy little harami."
- this quote is saying when Mariam was little she broke her mothers bowl and how she did not get in troouble for it, it was suppose to keep away evil. Nana liked the bowl because it was her mother's.
"Rich man telling rich lies. he never took you to any tree. And don't let him charm you. He betrayed us, your beloved father. he cast us out of his big fancy house like we were nothing to mim. He did it happily"
-Mariams father told her a story when he took her to an old tree. Mariam does not remember this becasue se figures she was too small. When he left her Nana said this quote.
"The children of stranger get ice cream. What do you get Mariam? Stories of ice cream."
-Mariam's Nana was saying whenever Mariams father comes over he always tells a story. Jalil (Mariams father) owns a cinemam and he has 9 children and three wives.
" Learn this now and learn it well, my daughter: Like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds women. Always. Remember that, Mariam."
-Nana is talking in this situation. turns out Nana is Mariam's mother, not the grandmother. In addition, she used to be a housekeeper for Jalil then she got pregnant by him and his three wives kicked them out. They live in a house some where.
"When the pain got bad , I'd bite a pillow and scream into it until I was hoarse. And still no one came to wipe my face or give me a drink of water. And you, Mriam joy, you were no rush. Almost two days you lay on that cold, hard floor. I didn't eat or sleep, all I did was push and pray that you would come out"
-Mariam's mother Nana had no help during the labor and she had to give birth to own child by herself.
Person C- Jenna
Questions:
Using facts from the book, what does harami mean? Does it mean a good thing or a horrible thing? It means a horrible thing. It means "Bastard". That word was used many times to describe Mariam.
Who did Mariam like/ believe more; Nana or Jalil? Why does she like that person more? What made her chose to believe that person? She likes Jalil more because he brings facts from the world outside of Kolba to her when he comes over every thursday. He also acts kind to her which she loves and finds that her mother, Nana doesn't give her.
Overall, do you think Mariam has a good life? I think she has a pretty good life because she has a mother that cares about her.
So far in this book, which character do you like the best? Some said Mariam while others liked Nana.
What influenced Nana and made her personality the way it is? Was it Jalil's wifes, etc.?
What influenced her personality was her husband, Jalil. He lost her trust by his actions.
Person A- Christina
1. On your group's wiki page, describe the main characters in your text. What makes them interesting? What is their story or background? Why are you drawn to them? Conversely, are there any characters that you just cannot stand? Why not? (A)
Mariam was the main character. Mariam is in a tough situation where she is a bastard because her mom and dad divorced right before she was born. Her dad is a wealthy cinema owner and has 3 other wives and 10 other siblings and her mother lives in a small shack in poor living conditions. Mariam is in love with her father because he always gets her nice things and he always comes every Thursday to see her but her mother tries to tell Mariam tell how bad of a person her father is. We are drawn to Mariam because we want to know how she will deal with this situation since her mother committed suicide on day and Mariam was forcefully married to a shoemaker Rasheed. The character wer cannot stand is Mariam’s father, Jalil, because he forcefully made Mariam marry a man who is 40 years old when she is only 15 just because she wasn’t wanted in Jalil’s home. She is the burden of the family and the 3 wives and Jalil are ashamed to have her as a child.
Person C- Ryan
How do you feel about Jalil having so many wives and children, and how he claims Nana forced herself on him and doesn’t even care about Mariam?
-He is a promiscuous, not trust worthy, he is careless, and unsupportive to Mariam.
What did you think about Nana almost getting married when she was 15?
-“I got mad that she was forced to marry a 40 year old man, that she doesn’t even know.”
How did it make you feel when you read Jalil lying to Mariam about so many different things and events?
-It makes you feel that no one can trust him and he doesn’t care about anyone but himself, he is self-centered.
How do you feel about all of the Muslim undefined words in the book? Do you think it makes the book harder to understand? Explain
-it makes the book really hard to understand, it kind of makes the book sound more realistic.
What types of foods did Mullah Faizullah bring to Mariam?
-Wrapped chocolate and other goodies.
Person D- Rachel
My group and I are reading A Thousand Splendid Suns,written by Khaled Hosseini. We discussed how the Arabic terms in the book make it more difficult to understand. We believe that those words make the book more realistic. One of the words, harami, means "bastard" and it was used to describe Mariam multiple times. Throughout the club, we discussed the important scenes throughout the book. Mariam, the main character, lives with her mother for some of the story. Her father, Jalil, was Mariam’s link to the proof that a world did exist outside Kolba, the town Mariam and her mother, “Nana” live in. Jalil visited her daughter every Thursday and brought information to Mariam about the outside world. At one point in the book, Mariam wanted to visit Jalil. When Mariam told her mother that, she said she would die if she went to see him. Nana was telling Mariam how her father does not love her. Nana does not want Mariam to go see her father, because without her, she would be lonely. Mariam left to go to her father’s house and waited for along time. Her father did not arrive because he was at a meeting, and she crossed the river to get home. While she was crossing, she saw her mother (Nana) hanging upside down from a tree; her mother had killed herself because Mariam had gone to see her father and left her alone. Jalil has decided to have Mariam stay at his house and after a few days of staying there, Jalil and his many wives wanted Mariam to get married to Rasheed, a 40 year old man who she has never met. Mariam is forced to marry him and she moves away with him. My group and I thought that it was very strange and unfair that Mariam was forced to marry Rasheed. Hopefully, Mariam gets used to living with him and they become close. The group thinks that the book is a little slow for now, but we like the realistic scenes in it. We think that this will turn out to be an enjoyable book to read.
Week 2: Person A- Rachel Person B- Christina Person C- Megan & Jenna Person D- Ryan
Megan:
If you were Laila what would you feel about moving? Happy because where she lives is dangerous, but at the same time she does not want to leave just in case Tariq comes back.
When Laila was talking about flying in the air and landing what did you think was happening? The first time we read it, we thought she was in a dream. Then we realized that a bomb hit her house.
If you were Laila would you marry Rasheed or run away? Run away because he is a sixty year old man, but at the same time stay because it is dangerous if you live alone or if you are by yourself.
What was the bad news Laila was told? That the love of her life died, Tariq.
How did the fight between Laila and Mariam start? What did Laila feel after? It started when Mariam accused Laila of misplacing a spoon. Laila felt her baby move inside of her.
Person B- Christina
1. "As a reminder of how women like us suffer, she'd said. How quietly endure all that falls upon us.
This was said by Nana and she told Mariam this sometime in the past about how women suffer when they get married and the sooner Mariam learns it, the sooner she can understand life.
2. "His powerful hands clasped her jaw. He shoved two fingers into her mouth and pried it open, then forced the cold, hard pebbles into it. Mariam struggled against him, mumbling, but he kept pushing the pebbles in, his upper lip curled in a sneer."
This was when Mariam cooked a bad dinner for Rasheed, her husband and to punish her, Rasheed took a handful of pebbles, put them in her mouth and ordered her to chew and she broke a molar. This shows that Rasheed is not a good husband and he is abusive.
3. " 'I won't forget tomorrow.' Mammy was saying behind her. "I promise."
This was said by Mammy and this was when Laila, the other main character told her that Mammy forgot to bring Laila home from school and because of this she was shot with urine by boys in her grade.
4. " 'Some days i listen to that clock ticking in the hallway. Then i think of all the ticks, all the minutes, all the hours and days and weeks and months and years waiting for me. All of it without them. And I can't breathe then, like someone's stepping on my heart, Laila. I get so weak. So weak I just want to collapse somewhere' "
Mammy said this when her son died and she wants to die to be with her son. This was at his funeral.
5. " 'An you, you would continue going to school, of course. You know how I feel about that. That would be out absolute top priority, to get you a good education, high school then college. But in your free time if you wanted to, you could help out, take orders, fill water pitchers, that sort of thing.' "
Babi said this and it says that he cares about Laila’s education and wants the best of her
Person C- Jenna
-Would you consider Rasheed a violent husband to Mariam? Why or why not?
Yes, he forced pepples into her mouth and broke her jaw/molars when he was upset with her for no reason.
-Do you think Tariq is a good friend? Why or why not?
Yes, because he cares about her and fought with the kid that bothered Laila when he was gone.
-Overall, this book references a war between the Soviets and the Afghans. Why do you think the Soviets' want to take over the area? What do the sons have to do with the war that makes Laila's mom view the war in a different perspective?
They fought because the Soviets wanted land, more rights, food, water, and resources.
-Do Mariam and Laila's lives relate to each other in anyways? Whether it be the people that they live with or their views on society in general?
There lives relate because they live in the same town, and they are both girls.
-Are there any characters in this book so far that you think are horrible and cruel characters that make this book what it has become? Why?
Rasheed- because he is mean to Mariam during most of part one.
Person A- Rachel On your group's wiki page, discuss the type of language that your book contains. Is it easy to read? Conversational? "Classic"? Does it use a lot of words you don't understand? What grade level do you think the book is written at, and why?
Some of the group members think that the book is easy to read, others think that it is not. The words in Arabic terms are confusing at times. Sometimes the book has words that we do not understand such as, the arabic words. The book is written at an adult level because the language, plot, and situations are very advanced.
Megan-C
How do you feel about Tariq and Laila's relationship? - My group feels that there relationship is really adorable and cute.
Do you think that they will ever get married? Why or Why Not?
Yes, because they are cute together.
No, because not everything works other.
How do you feel of Liala's mother? Father? Her mother does not care and her father is supportive of her.
Think of the past and present for the Laila and Tariq, has anything changed/same? They have stayed the same, but at the same time they changed. When they were younger they were friends and as they got older they became more sexual for each other.
Do you think Mariam is happy/sad to be forced marrying know, since it has been a few years? I feel she is still sad because she was forced to marry a man three times her age. In addition, she keeps getting forced to have kids, but she keeps having miscarriages.
Do you feel Rasheed put the pebbles in Mariam mouth out of the anger he just did it to do it? We feel Rasheed did it for both reasons. He was probably upset because she keep getting miscarriages and he just did it to do it because where the book takes place it is legal to abuse your wife.
Week 3-
Person A- Ryan
Person B- Rachel
Person C- Megan and Christina
Person D- Jenna
Person C- Christina
1. How do you think other people in Kabul feel about the Soviets losing?
They felt really happy and they want to celebrate.
2. Why do you think Laila weeped for Giti when she died and not for her own brothers?
She did not really know her brothers that well and Giti was a closer friend to her than her brothers were to her.
3. Do you think the quote "Or a thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls" from a poem has anything to do with the book?
It is foreshadowing something that will happen later on in the book.
4. What do you think the red bridge Laila saw was when she got hit by the rocket?
The guy who saved her had a picture of a bridge on his shirt was what we think she saw.
5. Do you think Laila will ever forget Tariq and love Rasheed? Why or why not?
No because she loves Tariq and she will always love him even if he is dead
Person B- Rachel 1.“Mammy changed into black again, went to her room, shut the curtains, and pulled the blanket over her head."
-Mammy is depressed again, after she just got over the depression. She is sad like this because another war is coming.
2.“Tariq tucked the gun into the waist of his denims. Then he said a thing both lovely and terrible. “For you,” he said. “I’d kill with it for you, Laila.”
-Tariq is defend Laila in this treacherous war. He cares about her a lot and would do anything to protect her.
3.“One day that same month of June, Giti was walking home from school with two classmates. Only three blocks form Giti’s house, a stray rocket struck the girls. Later that terrible day, Laila learned that Nila, Gila’s mother, had run up and down the street where Giti was killed, collecting pieces of her daughter’s flesh in an apron, screeching hysterically. Gitis’s decomposing right foot, still in its nylon sock and purple sneaker, would be found on a rooftop two weeks later.”
-Laila learns that Giti died because a rocket hit her on the way home form school. When Laila finds this out, she is very sad by the news. This shows how dangerous the war is in Kabul.
4.“She sat on the chair instead, hands limp in her lap, eyes staring at nothing, and let he mind fly on. She let it fly until it found that place, the good and safe place, where the barley fields were green, where the water ran clear and the cottonwood sees danced by the thousands in the air; where Babi was reading a book beneath an acacia and Tariq was napping with his hands laced across his chest, and where she could dip her feet in the stream and dream good dreams beneath the watchful gaze of gods of ancient, sun- bleached rock."
-This happened when Laila found out that Tariq died. When Laila found that out, she was very upset because Tariq has been her best friend for so long.
5."Later, when she was sure that he was asleep, Laila quietly reached beneath the mattress for the knife she has hidden there earlier. With it, she punctured the pad of her index finger. Then she lifted the blanket and let her finger bleed on the sheets where they had lain together."
-Laila saw Rasheed next to her, and she thought it was a sin that she had been with him. We thought that Laila was going to kill Rasheed, but she actually stabbed her finger.
Person D- Jenna
In the book, A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini, we talked about how the book is getting very interesting and is very difficult to put down. This week's reading reached the climax. A point in a book where its usually the most interesting to read. This week's reading included many deaths, and situations that you didn't expect to happen. We discussed Laila and her situation in the story and we started talking about the language of the book and its comparisons to other languages you have heard of today but its not commonly used as much like Chinese, sign language, spanish, etc. Laila in the book has a tough situation because a new war began in the book. This war is very dangerous and deadly and many have dead due to it including her close friend, Giti, and her beloved parents. This book is just so heart breaking that for me sometimes, it is so unbearable to read. Her parents have finally agreed to leave there- war- filled area when a explosion occurred in there house. The parents ended up dying under all the debris and other materials while Rasheed, Mariam's husband ended up saving Laila's life. Now Laila has agreed to marry Rasheed, Mariam's husband. We don't know her intensions of doing this but our groups thinks that she did this because she has no friends or family alive anymore to take her in or care for her. Her friends, Giti and Tariq died as well as her poor parents. What a tough life she has!
We also discussed how the explosion occurred because some members of my group, at first, though that Laila was having a nightmare about her house getting hit but it was reality. Her house was hit by a rocket and there was a huge explosion that caused many unwanted deaths in this book. She also feels so horrible about the situation because her father was planning on taking some books outside with them to their new destination but Laila told him she would gladly do it. She regrets saying that because if her father had taken them outside, he may still have been alive. My group also discussed a quote from a poem that was mentioned in the story, “Or a thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls.” My group thought that this quote will foreshadow an event that will occur later in the story, but my group wasn't sure what the event would be. We also touched upon the idea of Tariq and Laila and how they were in love, but Laila founds out that he ends up dying because the pain he was going through was that unbearable. Now Laila was given the choice to marry Rasheed and she said yes but we don't think that the love connection between Laila and Tariq will ever go away. This book has just reached the climax and all of our groups members can't wait to see how this book turns out. Will it be as unexpected as this or will there be a happy ending?
Week 4:
Person A-Jenna
Person B- Ryan
Person C- Rachel
Person D- Megan
Person C (Christina)
1. When Mariam saw the look of regret in Rasheed's eyes right before he hit him with the shovel, what do you think was going through his head?
He may have felt bad for her because it was the first time she stuck up for herself against him and now she's fighting back and he's not happy about it.
2. Do you think Tariq will fight for Laila and Mariam's freedom from Rasheed or will he go away so Laila could live her life?
He would fight for Laila and Mariam's freedom from Rasheed because he still loves her and wants to be with her so they could be together.
3. Do you think Aziza will ever come home and meet her real father or do you think she will have to live with Rasheed? Why?
She might meet her real father now that he's alive and he wants to be with Laila.
4. What do you think is going to happen next now that Mariam has knocked out Rasheed with a shovel?
They are going to leave with Tariq and go somewhere far away from Kabul so they do not have to see Rasheed again and Tariq will marry Laila when they get away.
5. Do you think that Rasheed would actually kill both his wives? Why or why not?
Yes because he is angry and they both made it clear that they want him out of the way and gone.
Person A- Jenna
1. On your group's wiki page, discuss the themes and images that your book contains. What are some of the images that are used? What do they seem to represent? Why do you think the author uses these images to convey his or her meaning? (A)
Image of Rasheed and Mariam with the shovel. It represents their relationship; unruly relationship.
Image of Laila seeing Tariq after all these years. It represents love and trust.
Image of Aziza being sent to a foster home because Rasheed's shop went on fire. It represents torture and misery.
Themes: Love, Betrayal, and Wisdom
The author uses some of these images to foreshadow events that will happen later in the story.
Person C- Rachel
1. Do you think Laila and Mariam will stay close friends? Why?
Yes, we think they will stay good friends because they have almost the same lives.
2. Did you think Mariam and Laila could have run away without getting caught?
We thought at the beginning of the book that they would run away without getting caught, but they did and if they tried again, they would get caught again.
3. What do you think of Rasheed beating Laila and Mariam because of running away?
We think it was too harsh and if they ran way that he is not being a good husband.
4. Who has more rights in Kabul, men or women? What are some of the forbidden things that women and men are not allowed to do?
Men have more rights. Men basically can do everything. Women can not marry more than one person, cannot leave the house without a family member, and have to wear a burqa on their head.
5. Do you think it was brave of Laila to punch Rasheed? Why? Do you think his reaction was appropriate?
Yes, it was brave that she punched Rasheed, because she was showing her strength and showing that she will not be treated like that from a guy. His reaction was not appropriate and that he is a bad guy and should not have choked Laila.
Ryan-B.
“She swallowed dry spit.”
“He set the ashtray on the nightstand, and flung his legs over the bed.”
“Laila had to decided to leave for Pakistan.”
“She put a hand on her belly and closed her eyes.”
“When she was done speaking, her heart was hammering and her heart felt parched.”
Megan-D
Today we really discussed the changes in the relationship in the book. Mariam and Laila use to hate each other, because they were different and they were also envious. They soon put there differences aside by helping and defending each other. They soon realize that they are actually the same; they both want to be free from Rasheed and they do not want to live with him any more. We also discuss the relationship between Laila and Tariq. We were absolutely surprised that Tariq is alive because in the beginning of the book they said he was dead. We found it amazing that he traveled so far away just to find Laila. We also predict that he will try to rescue them and bring them to safety. Some members of the group love this book so much that they finished it already, they said the ending is amazing! The rest of us can not wait to see what happens next!
Week 5-
Person A-Megan
Person B-Jenna
Person C-Ryan and Rachel
Person D-Christina
Person B- Jenna
“Laila went on a stammering rant. She bargained. She promised. She would do all the cleaning, she said, and all the cooking. “You won't have to do a thing. Ever Again. You rest, sleep in, plant a garden. Whatever you want, you ask and I'll get it for you. Don't do this Mariam. Don't leave me. Don't break Aziza's heart.” (357)- Laila is trying to convince Mariam to come and live with them
“It was Sayeed who summoned a friend and a mullah for the nikka that day, Sayeed who pulled Tariq aside and gave him money. Tariq wouldn't take it, but Sayeed insisted. Tariq went to the Mall then and came back with two simple, thin wedding bands. They married later that night, after the children had gone to bed.” (376)-Sayheed really cares about Laila and Tarqi marriage
“Aziza looked down thoughtfully at her hands when Laila told her. I like him, she said after a long pause. He loves you He said that?
He doesn't have to, Aziza.
Tell me the rest, Mammy. Tell me so I know.
And Laila did.
Your father is a good man. He is the best man I've ever known.
What if he leaves? Aziza said. He will never leave. Look at me, Aziza. Your father will never hurt you, and he will never leave.
The relief on Aziza's face broke Laila's heart.” (378)-Aziza was afraid that Tarqi would leave them and abuse them like Rasheed did
“ I have dreams of you too, Mariam jo. I miss you. I miss the sound of your voice, your laughter. I miss reading to you, and all those times we fished together. Do you remember all those times we fished together? You were a good daughter, Mariam jo, and I cannot ever think of you without feeling shame and regret. Regret......When it comes to you, Mariam jo.” (405)-Jalil feels bad for not taking Mariam in and giving her some love
“ When Laila saw the article , she'd though of her childhood friends Giti and Hasina, and Hasina saying, By the time we're twenty, Giti and I, we'll have pushed out four, five kids each. But you, Laila, you'll make us two dummies proud. You're going to be a somebody. I know one day I'll pick up a newspaper and find your picture on the front page. The photo hasn't made the front page, but there is was nevertheless, as Hasina had predicted.” (412) -Laila remembers her childhood friends and what they had said about her and how its true.Person C- Rachel1. Where do you think Mariam ran away?
Mariam ran away to the jailhouse.
2. Do you think the war in Afghanistan will end well like Rasheed believes?
We think the war will not end in Afghanistan.
3. Do you think it was a good idea of Laila and Tariq to move back to Kabul with the kids, even though there is a war?
Yes, because she wants to have the feeling of Mariam’s presence once again.
4. Did you expect Laila and Tariq to end up together again at the end of the book? Why or why not?
No, we expected Rasheed stay with Laila and Mariam and not die.
5. What do you think of the ending of the book? Did you enjoy the book overall? Why or why not?
Ryan thought because it was a different culture so it was weird to read. Jenna loved the book, she thought it was amazing and she thought the plot was very suspenseful. Christina thought that it was one of the amazing books she has ever read in her life, because it kept her reading. Megan loved the book because she liked to learn about the different culture and she enjoyed the storyline. I really enjoyed the book, and I thought it was a very suspenseful book.
Person D (Christina)
This week's book club was our last week of book club. We finished the book and everyone in our group loved it, but even though we loved this book, we all agreed that The Kite Runner was an even better book. I have not read it yet but I am planning on very soon when I get the chance to. First, we discussed the ending of the book and what we liked about the book. Some of the parts we liked were when Laila and Tariq got their happy ending and that Laila and Mariam were free of Rasheed since Mariam killed him. What we did not like about the book was that Mariam could not live on with Laila, Tariq, Aziza, and Zalmai. Second, we discussed Jenna's quotes from A Thousand Splendid Suns and then we did Ryan, Rachael, and Meghan's questions. In the end, we talked more about the book and what else was good and what could be better and A Thousand Splendid Suns was a much better book than our first book club book A Secret Kept. We are going to pick a book like this one for our next book club.
Week 1:
Person A- Christina
Person B- Megan
Person C- Ryan and Jenna
Person D- Rachel
Quotes-B: Megan
" You are a clumsy little harami. This is my reward for everything I've endured. An heirloom- breaking, clumsy little harami."
- this quote is saying when Mariam was little she broke her mothers bowl and how she did not get in troouble for it, it was suppose to keep away evil. Nana liked the bowl because it was her mother's.
"Rich man telling rich lies. he never took you to any tree. And don't let him charm you. He betrayed us, your beloved father. he cast us out of his big fancy house like we were nothing to mim. He did it happily"
-Mariams father told her a story when he took her to an old tree. Mariam does not remember this becasue se figures she was too small. When he left her Nana said this quote.
"The children of stranger get ice cream. What do you get Mariam? Stories of ice cream."
-Mariam's Nana was saying whenever Mariams father comes over he always tells a story. Jalil (Mariams father) owns a cinemam and he has 9 children and three wives.
" Learn this now and learn it well, my daughter: Like a compass needle that points north, a man's accusing finger always finds women. Always. Remember that, Mariam."
-Nana is talking in this situation. turns out Nana is Mariam's mother, not the grandmother. In addition, she used to be a housekeeper for Jalil then she got pregnant by him and his three wives kicked them out. They live in a house some where.
"When the pain got bad , I'd bite a pillow and scream into it until I was hoarse. And still no one came to wipe my face or give me a drink of water. And you, Mriam joy, you were no rush. Almost two days you lay on that cold, hard floor. I didn't eat or sleep, all I did was push and pray that you would come out"
-Mariam's mother Nana had no help during the labor and she had to give birth to own child by herself.
Person C- Jenna
Questions:
- Using facts from the book, what does harami mean? Does it mean a good thing or a horrible thing? It means a horrible thing. It means "Bastard". That word was used many times to describe Mariam.
- Who did Mariam like/ believe more; Nana or Jalil? Why does she like that person more? What made her chose to believe that person? She likes Jalil more because he brings facts from the world outside of Kolba to her when he comes over every thursday. He also acts kind to her which she loves and finds that her mother, Nana doesn't give her.
- Overall, do you think Mariam has a good life? I think she has a pretty good life because she has a mother that cares about her.
- So far in this book, which character do you like the best? Some said Mariam while others liked Nana.
- What influenced Nana and made her personality the way it is? Was it Jalil's wifes, etc.?
What influenced her personality was her husband, Jalil. He lost her trust by his actions.Person A- Christina
1. On your group's wiki page, describe the main characters in your text. What makes them interesting? What is their story or background? Why are you drawn to them? Conversely, are there any characters that you just cannot stand? Why not? (A)
Mariam was the main character. Mariam is in a tough situation where she is a bastard because her mom and dad divorced right before she was born. Her dad is a wealthy cinema owner and has 3 other wives and 10 other siblings and her mother lives in a small shack in poor living conditions. Mariam is in love with her father because he always gets her nice things and he always comes every Thursday to see her but her mother tries to tell Mariam tell how bad of a person her father is. We are drawn to Mariam because we want to know how she will deal with this situation since her mother committed suicide on day and Mariam was forcefully married to a shoemaker Rasheed. The character wer cannot stand is Mariam’s father, Jalil, because he forcefully made Mariam marry a man who is 40 years old when she is only 15 just because she wasn’t wanted in Jalil’s home. She is the burden of the family and the 3 wives and Jalil are ashamed to have her as a child.
Person C- Ryan
How do you feel about Jalil having so many wives and children, and how he claims Nana forced herself on him and doesn’t even care about Mariam?
-He is a promiscuous, not trust worthy, he is careless, and unsupportive to Mariam.
What did you think about Nana almost getting married when she was 15?
-“I got mad that she was forced to marry a 40 year old man, that she doesn’t even know.”
How did it make you feel when you read Jalil lying to Mariam about so many different things and events?
-It makes you feel that no one can trust him and he doesn’t care about anyone but himself, he is self-centered.
How do you feel about all of the Muslim undefined words in the book? Do you think it makes the book harder to understand? Explain
-it makes the book really hard to understand, it kind of makes the book sound more realistic.
What types of foods did Mullah Faizullah bring to Mariam?
-Wrapped chocolate and other goodies.
Person D- Rachel
My group and I are reading A Thousand Splendid Suns, written by Khaled Hosseini. We discussed how the Arabic terms in the book make it more difficult to understand. We believe that those words make the book more realistic. One of the words, harami, means "bastard" and it was used to describe Mariam multiple times.
Throughout the club, we discussed the important scenes throughout the book. Mariam, the main character, lives with her mother for some of the story. Her father, Jalil, was Mariam’s link to the proof that a world did exist outside Kolba, the town Mariam and her mother, “Nana” live in. Jalil visited her daughter every Thursday and brought information to Mariam about the outside world. At one point in the book, Mariam wanted to visit Jalil. When Mariam told her mother that, she said she would die if she went to see him. Nana was telling Mariam how her father does not love her. Nana does not want Mariam to go see her father, because without her, she would be lonely. Mariam left to go to her father’s house and waited for along time. Her father did not arrive because he was at a meeting, and she crossed the river to get home. While she was crossing, she saw her mother (Nana) hanging upside down from a tree; her mother had killed herself because Mariam had gone to see her father and left her alone. Jalil has decided to have Mariam stay at his house and after a few days of staying there, Jalil and his many wives wanted Mariam to get married to Rasheed, a 40 year old man who she has never met. Mariam is forced to marry him and she moves away with him. My group and I thought that it was very strange and unfair that Mariam was forced to marry Rasheed. Hopefully, Mariam gets used to living with him and they become close. The group thinks that the book is a little slow for now, but we like the realistic scenes in it. We think that this will turn out to be an enjoyable book to read.
Week 2:
Person A- Rachel
Person B- Christina
Person C- Megan & Jenna
Person D- Ryan
Megan:
If you were Laila what would you feel about moving?
Happy because where she lives is dangerous, but at the same time she does not want to leave just in case Tariq comes back.
When Laila was talking about flying in the air and landing what did you think was happening?
The first time we read it, we thought she was in a dream. Then we realized that a bomb hit her house.
If you were Laila would you marry Rasheed or run away?
Run away because he is a sixty year old man, but at the same time stay because it is dangerous if you live alone or if you are by yourself.
What was the bad news Laila was told?
That the love of her life died, Tariq.
How did the fight between Laila and Mariam start? What did Laila feel after?
It started when Mariam accused Laila of misplacing a spoon. Laila felt her baby move inside of her.
Person B- Christina
1. "As a reminder of how women like us suffer, she'd said. How quietly endure all that falls upon us.
This was said by Nana and she told Mariam this sometime in the past about how women suffer when they get married and the sooner Mariam learns it, the sooner she can understand life.
2. "His powerful hands clasped her jaw. He shoved two fingers into her mouth and pried it open, then forced the cold, hard pebbles into it. Mariam struggled against him, mumbling, but he kept pushing the pebbles in, his upper lip curled in a sneer."
This was when Mariam cooked a bad dinner for Rasheed, her husband and to punish her, Rasheed took a handful of pebbles, put them in her mouth and ordered her to chew and she broke a molar. This shows that Rasheed is not a good husband and he is abusive.
3. " 'I won't forget tomorrow.' Mammy was saying behind her. "I promise."
This was said by Mammy and this was when Laila, the other main character told her that Mammy forgot to bring Laila home from school and because of this she was shot with urine by boys in her grade.
4. " 'Some days i listen to that clock ticking in the hallway. Then i think of all the ticks, all the minutes, all the hours and days and weeks and months and years waiting for me. All of it without them. And I can't breathe then, like someone's stepping on my heart, Laila. I get so weak. So weak I just want to collapse somewhere' "
Mammy said this when her son died and she wants to die to be with her son. This was at his funeral.
5. " 'An you, you would continue going to school, of course. You know how I feel about that. That would be out absolute top priority, to get you a good education, high school then college. But in your free time if you wanted to, you could help out, take orders, fill water pitchers, that sort of thing.' "
Babi said this and it says that he cares about Laila’s education and wants the best of her
Person C- Jenna
-Would you consider Rasheed a violent husband to Mariam? Why or why not?
Yes, he forced pepples into her mouth and broke her jaw/molars when he was upset with her for no reason.
-Do you think Tariq is a good friend? Why or why not?
Yes, because he cares about her and fought with the kid that bothered Laila when he was gone.
-Overall, this book references a war between the Soviets and the Afghans. Why do you think the Soviets' want to take over the area? What do the sons have to do with the war that makes Laila's mom view the war in a different perspective?
They fought because the Soviets wanted land, more rights, food, water, and resources.
-Do Mariam and Laila's lives relate to each other in anyways? Whether it be the people that they live with or their views on society in general?
There lives relate because they live in the same town, and they are both girls.
-Are there any characters in this book so far that you think are horrible and cruel characters that make this book what it has become? Why?
Rasheed- because he is mean to Mariam during most of part one.
Person A- Rachel
On your group's wiki page, discuss the type of language that your book contains. Is it easy to read? Conversational? "Classic"? Does it use a lot of words you don't understand? What grade level do you think the book is written at, and why?
Some of the group members think that the book is easy to read, others think that it is not. The words in Arabic terms are confusing at times. Sometimes the book has words that we do not understand such as, the arabic words. The book is written at an adult level because the language, plot, and situations are very advanced.
Megan-C
How do you feel about Tariq and Laila's relationship?
- My group feels that there relationship is really adorable and cute.
Do you think that they will ever get married? Why or Why Not?
- Yes, because they are cute together.
- No, because not everything works other.
How do you feel of Liala's mother? Father?Her mother does not care and her father is supportive of her.
Think of the past and present for the Laila and Tariq, has anything changed/same?
They have stayed the same, but at the same time they changed. When they were younger they were friends and as they got older they became more sexual for each other.
Do you think Mariam is happy/sad to be forced marrying know, since it has been a few years?
I feel she is still sad because she was forced to marry a man three times her age. In addition, she keeps getting forced to have kids, but she keeps having miscarriages.
Do you feel Rasheed put the pebbles in Mariam mouth out of the anger he just did it to do it?
We feel Rasheed did it for both reasons. He was probably upset because she keep getting miscarriages and he just did it to do it because where the book takes place it is legal to abuse your wife.
Week 3-
Person A- Ryan
Person B- Rachel
Person C- Megan and Christina
Person D- Jenna
Person C- Christina
1. How do you think other people in Kabul feel about the Soviets losing?
They felt really happy and they want to celebrate.
2. Why do you think Laila weeped for Giti when she died and not for her own brothers?
She did not really know her brothers that well and Giti was a closer friend to her than her brothers were to her.
3. Do you think the quote "Or a thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls" from a poem has anything to do with the book?
It is foreshadowing something that will happen later on in the book.
4. What do you think the red bridge Laila saw was when she got hit by the rocket?
The guy who saved her had a picture of a bridge on his shirt was what we think she saw.
5. Do you think Laila will ever forget Tariq and love Rasheed? Why or why not?
No because she loves Tariq and she will always love him even if he is dead
Person B- Rachel
1.“Mammy changed into black again, went to her room, shut the curtains, and pulled the blanket over her head."
-Mammy is depressed again, after she just got over the depression. She is sad like this because another war is coming.
2.“Tariq tucked the gun into the waist of his denims. Then he said a thing both lovely and terrible. “For you,” he said. “I’d kill with it for you, Laila.”
-Tariq is defend Laila in this treacherous war. He cares about her a lot and would do anything to protect her.
3.“One day that same month of June, Giti was walking home from school with two classmates. Only three blocks form Giti’s house, a stray rocket struck the girls. Later that terrible day, Laila learned that Nila, Gila’s mother, had run up and down the street where Giti was killed, collecting pieces of her daughter’s flesh in an apron, screeching hysterically. Gitis’s decomposing right foot, still in its nylon sock and purple sneaker, would be found on a rooftop two weeks later.”
-Laila learns that Giti died because a rocket hit her on the way home form school. When Laila finds this out, she is very sad by the news. This shows how dangerous the war is in Kabul.
4.“She sat on the chair instead, hands limp in her lap, eyes staring at nothing, and let he mind fly on. She let it fly until it found that place, the good and safe place, where the barley fields were green, where the water ran clear and the cottonwood sees danced by the thousands in the air; where Babi was reading a book beneath an acacia and Tariq was napping with his hands laced across his chest, and where she could dip her feet in the stream and dream good dreams beneath the watchful gaze of gods of ancient, sun- bleached rock."
-This happened when Laila found out that Tariq died. When Laila found that out, she was very upset because Tariq has been her best friend for so long.
5."Later, when she was sure that he was asleep, Laila quietly reached beneath the mattress for the knife she has hidden there earlier. With it, she punctured the pad of her index finger. Then she lifted the blanket and let her finger bleed on the sheets where they had lain together."
-Laila saw Rasheed next to her, and she thought it was a sin that she had been with him. We thought that Laila was going to kill Rasheed, but she actually stabbed her finger.
Person D- Jenna
In the book, A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini, we talked about how the book is getting very interesting and is very difficult to put down. This week's reading reached the climax. A point in a book where its usually the most interesting to read. This week's reading included many deaths, and situations that you didn't expect to happen. We discussed Laila and her situation in the story and we started talking about the language of the book and its comparisons to other languages you have heard of today but its not commonly used as much like Chinese, sign language, spanish, etc. Laila in the book has a tough situation because a new war began in the book. This war is very dangerous and deadly and many have dead due to it including her close friend, Giti, and her beloved parents. This book is just so heart breaking that for me sometimes, it is so unbearable to read. Her parents have finally agreed to leave there- war- filled area when a explosion occurred in there house. The parents ended up dying under all the debris and other materials while Rasheed, Mariam's husband ended up saving Laila's life. Now Laila has agreed to marry Rasheed, Mariam's husband. We don't know her intensions of doing this but our groups thinks that she did this because she has no friends or family alive anymore to take her in or care for her. Her friends, Giti and Tariq died as well as her poor parents. What a tough life she has!
We also discussed how the explosion occurred because some members of my group, at first, though that Laila was having a nightmare about her house getting hit but it was reality. Her house was hit by a rocket and there was a huge explosion that caused many unwanted deaths in this book. She also feels so horrible about the situation because her father was planning on taking some books outside with them to their new destination but Laila told him she would gladly do it. She regrets saying that because if her father had taken them outside, he may still have been alive. My group also discussed a quote from a poem that was mentioned in the story, “Or a thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls.” My group thought that this quote will foreshadow an event that will occur later in the story, but my group wasn't sure what the event would be. We also touched upon the idea of Tariq and Laila and how they were in love, but Laila founds out that he ends up dying because the pain he was going through was that unbearable. Now Laila was given the choice to marry Rasheed and she said yes but we don't think that the love connection between Laila and Tariq will ever go away. This book has just reached the climax and all of our groups members can't wait to see how this book turns out. Will it be as unexpected as this or will there be a happy ending?
Week 4:
Person A-Jenna
Person B- Ryan
Person C- Rachel
Person D- Megan
Person C (Christina)
1. When Mariam saw the look of regret in Rasheed's eyes right before he hit him with the shovel, what do you think was going through his head?
He may have felt bad for her because it was the first time she stuck up for herself against him and now she's fighting back and he's not happy about it.
2. Do you think Tariq will fight for Laila and Mariam's freedom from Rasheed or will he go away so Laila could live her life?
He would fight for Laila and Mariam's freedom from Rasheed because he still loves her and wants to be with her so they could be together.
3. Do you think Aziza will ever come home and meet her real father or do you think she will have to live with Rasheed? Why?
She might meet her real father now that he's alive and he wants to be with Laila.
4. What do you think is going to happen next now that Mariam has knocked out Rasheed with a shovel?
They are going to leave with Tariq and go somewhere far away from Kabul so they do not have to see Rasheed again and Tariq will marry Laila when they get away.
5. Do you think that Rasheed would actually kill both his wives? Why or why not?
Yes because he is angry and they both made it clear that they want him out of the way and gone.
Person A- Jenna
1. On your group's wiki page, discuss the themes and images that your book contains. What are some of the images that are used? What do they seem to represent? Why do you think the author uses these images to convey his or her meaning? (A)
Image of Rasheed and Mariam with the shovel. It represents their relationship; unruly relationship.
Image of Laila seeing Tariq after all these years. It represents love and trust.
Image of Aziza being sent to a foster home because Rasheed's shop went on fire. It represents torture and misery.
Themes: Love, Betrayal, and Wisdom
The author uses some of these images to foreshadow events that will happen later in the story.
Person C- Rachel
1. Do you think Laila and Mariam will stay close friends? Why?
Yes, we think they will stay good friends because they have almost the same lives.
2. Did you think Mariam and Laila could have run away without getting caught?
We thought at the beginning of the book that they would run away without getting caught, but they did and if they tried again, they would get caught again.
3. What do you think of Rasheed beating Laila and Mariam because of running away?
We think it was too harsh and if they ran way that he is not being a good husband.
4. Who has more rights in Kabul, men or women? What are some of the forbidden things that women and men are not allowed to do?
Men have more rights. Men basically can do everything. Women can not marry more than one person, cannot leave the house without a family member, and have to wear a burqa on their head.
5. Do you think it was brave of Laila to punch Rasheed? Why? Do you think his reaction was appropriate?
Yes, it was brave that she punched Rasheed, because she was showing her strength and showing that she will not be treated like that from a guy. His reaction was not appropriate and that he is a bad guy and should not have choked Laila.
Ryan-B.
“She swallowed dry spit.”
“He set the ashtray on the nightstand, and flung his legs over the bed.”
“Laila had to decided to leave for Pakistan.”
“She put a hand on her belly and closed her eyes.”
“When she was done speaking, her heart was hammering and her heart felt parched.”
Megan-D
Today we really discussed the changes in the relationship in the book. Mariam and Laila use to hate each other, because they were different and they were also envious. They soon put there differences aside by helping and defending each other. They soon realize that they are actually the same; they both want to be free from Rasheed and they do not want to live with him any more. We also discuss the relationship between Laila and Tariq. We were absolutely surprised that Tariq is alive because in the beginning of the book they said he was dead. We found it amazing that he traveled so far away just to find Laila. We also predict that he will try to rescue them and bring them to safety. Some members of the group love this book so much that they finished it already, they said the ending is amazing! The rest of us can not wait to see what happens next!
Week 5-
Person A-Megan
Person B-Jenna
Person C-Ryan and Rachel
Person D-Christina
Person B- Jenna
I like him, she said after a long pause.
He loves you
He said that?
He doesn't have to, Aziza.
Tell me the rest, Mammy. Tell me so I know.
And Laila did.
Your father is a good man. He is the best man I've ever known.
What if he leaves? Aziza said.
He will never leave. Look at me, Aziza. Your father will never hurt you, and he will never leave.
The relief on Aziza's face broke Laila's heart.” (378)-Aziza was afraid that Tarqi would leave them and abuse them like Rasheed did
-Laila remembers her childhood friends and what they had said about her and how its true.Person C- Rachel1. Where do you think Mariam ran away?
Mariam ran away to the jailhouse.
2. Do you think the war in Afghanistan will end well like Rasheed believes?
We think the war will not end in Afghanistan.
3. Do you think it was a good idea of Laila and Tariq to move back to Kabul with the kids, even though there is a war?
Yes, because she wants to have the feeling of Mariam’s presence once again.
4. Did you expect Laila and Tariq to end up together again at the end of the book? Why or why not?
No, we expected Rasheed stay with Laila and Mariam and not die.
5. What do you think of the ending of the book? Did you enjoy the book overall? Why or why not?
Ryan thought because it was a different culture so it was weird to read. Jenna loved the book, she thought it was amazing and she thought the plot was very suspenseful. Christina thought that it was one of the amazing books she has ever read in her life, because it kept her reading. Megan loved the book because she liked to learn about the different culture and she enjoyed the storyline. I really enjoyed the book, and I thought it was a very suspenseful book.
Person D (Christina)
This week's book club was our last week of book club. We finished the book and everyone in our group loved it, but even though we loved this book, we all agreed that The Kite Runner was an even better book. I have not read it yet but I am planning on very soon when I get the chance to. First, we discussed the ending of the book and what we liked about the book. Some of the parts we liked were when Laila and Tariq got their happy ending and that Laila and Mariam were free of Rasheed since Mariam killed him. What we did not like about the book was that Mariam could not live on with Laila, Tariq, Aziza, and Zalmai. Second, we discussed Jenna's quotes from A Thousand Splendid Suns and then we did Ryan, Rachael, and Meghan's questions. In the end, we talked more about the book and what else was good and what could be better and A Thousand Splendid Suns was a much better book than our first book club book A Secret Kept. We are going to pick a book like this one for our next book club.